Suction cleaner



INVENTOR W. H. KITTO SUCTION CLEANER Original Filed Feb. ll, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wiliam Hl''ffo ATTO RN EY Aug. 9, 1938. w. H. K11-To SUCTION CLEANER OriginalFiled Feb. ll. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Wiliam IZ/ilo fig. .9

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 PATENT oFFICE SUCTION CLEANER William Il. Kitto, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 11, 1935, Vserial No. 5,912. Renewed December 10, 1936. In Great Britain April 10, 1934 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to new and novel improvements in means to convert a suction cleaner from an on-the-oor cleaning unit to an off-the-'loor cleaning unit. More specifically the invention comprises the provision of an improved permanently embodied converter mechanism in a suction cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner embodying new and irnproved conversion means. A still further object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a new and novel converter valve construction which is adapted to convert the cleaner from an on-thefloor cleaning unit to an off-the-oor cleaning unit.

new and improved dusting-tool-actuated converter valve in a suction cleaner. Astill further object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a permanently incorporated converter valve which automatically converts the cleaner from an onthe-floor cleaning unit to an ofE-the-oor cleaning unit upon the connection to the cleaner proper of a dusting tool unit, and which further automatically recouverts the cleaner to an on-theoor cleaning unit upon the detachment of the dusting tool unit. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed;

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a suction cleaner embodying the present invention with a dusting tool unit connected thereto, certain parts being broken away;

Figure Zis a bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken away to show the invention more clearly;

Figure 3 is a section through the converter construction upon the line 3-'3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section at right angles to Figure 3 upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner, similar to Figure 2, but with the dusting tool unit removed and the valve in its on-the-floor cleaning position;

Figure 6 is a partial bottom view of a suction cleaner embodying a second preferred embodiment of the invention with the dusting tool unit attached and the valve inits off-the-floor cleaning position.

Still another object is the provision of a 4 Figure 'l is a section through the cleaner upon the line '1 -I of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section at right angles to Figure 7, being taken upon the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 6, but with the dusting tool unit removed and the valve positioned for on-the-floor cleaning.

In the drawings a modern suction cleaner is disclosed. 'I'he cleaner body comprises a nozzle I, a fan chamber 2, and an exhaust outlet 3. The interior of the nozzle is connected to the eye 4 of the fan chamber by an air passageway 5, and functions to convey air therebetween in response to the suction created by the fan 6 which is positioned within the fan chamber 2, being carried by the motor shaft 'I which is extended into the air passageway. The nozzle is provided with front and rear lips 8 and 9 which are adapted to contact va surface covering undergoing cleaning and* 'which dene the mouth of the nozzle through which cleaning air is drawn. A rotary agitator I0 of a common andwell known type which-includes rigid surface-contacting elements and flexible brush elements is rotatably mounted within the nozzle and is adapted to contact a surface covering between the lips 8 and 9 to assist in dislodging foreign matter therefrom. Agitator Ill is rotated by a power-transmitting belt II which extends thru the passageway 5 to a pulley surface formed at the lower end of motor shaft l. A motor casing I2 is positioned above the ian chamber 2 and houses an unshown driving motor of which the shaft I is a part. At the end of the exhaust outlet 3 is connected a removable dust bag 29 which functions, in the operation of the machine, to filter from the air which passes therethrough the suspended foreign matter removed from the surface covering. Spaced pairs of front and rear Wheels I3, I3 and I4, I4 movably support the cleaner, the front wheels, being positioned within wheel pockets I5, I5 at the sides of the air passageway 5 Within the nozzle casing and immediately in the rear of the nozzle I. As in the usual cleaner construction a pivoted handle I6 is provided by which the oprator may exert a propelling force to move the cleaner.

With the machine altered for off-the-floor cleaning, a dusting tool unit comprising a dusting tool nozzle Il, a flexible elongated hose I8, and a metallic connector or seat I9, is suitably secured to the suction cleaner so that the 'suction created by the suction-creating means is eiective to draw cleaning air through the dusting tool unit instead of through the cleaner nozzle. The means by which the conversion of the cleaner from an onthe-floor cleaning unit to an oif-the-oor cleaning unit is accomplished upon the attachment of the dusting tools comprises the present invention.

Referring now to Figures l to 5, inclusive, the ilrst preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

At the side of the air passageway 5 adjacent the eye 4 of the fan chamber is positioned a conduit 20. This conduit is in effect a second air passageway and is adapted to receive and seat the metallic seat member I! formed on the inner end of the dusting tool hose Il. Cooperating means comprising a spring-pressed detent 2| carried by the seat I9 and a detent seat 22 formed in the conduit cooperate to secure the parts against accidental displacement. The opening of conduit 2l into the air. passageway at the fan chamber eye is normally closed by a valve 23 which is pivoted adjacent the side wall of the passageway I forward of the conduit and is spring-pressed into conduit-closing position by a coil spring 24 positioned at the pivot point. Valve 23, as is clearly seen in Figures 2 and 5, is shaped somewhat in the form of a letter U with flared ends. To accommodate the valve in its conduit-closing position the wall of the air passageway 5 immediately in the rear of the conduit 20, that is upon the side farthest spaced from the nozzle end Vof the cleaner, is recessed outwardly, as at 25, to form a valve seat. The valve in its conduit-closing on-the-fioor position is illustrated in Figure 5.

Upon the insertion of the metallic seat I3 of the dusting tool into the conduit 2G the valve 23 is contacted and pivoted from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 2. In this second position it extends around the motor shaft 'l and into contact with the opposite side wall of the air passageway 5. The valve extends from the upper wall of the air passageway, formed by the bottom of the fan chamber 2, to the lower wall thereof and cuts off from the nomle the greater portion of the fan chamber eye. A permanent closure plate 26 extends from the normal circular contour of. the eye 4 of the fan chamber out to and partially around the motor shaft 'l to close to the nozzle that part of the normal fan eye forward o f the valve 23. It is clear that thru the cooperation of the valve 23 and the plate 2B no air can enter the fan chamber from the nozzle. With, the valve in this nozzle-sealing position, vas shown in Figure 2, the conduit 2l, and so the dusting tool unit, is directly connected to the fan chamber through being open to the eye 4 thereof.

To insure the sealing contact of the valve in its nozzle-closing or air-passageway-closing position, with the opposite wall of the air passageway, and to prevent any binding, a leaf oo ntact spring 21 is provided on the outer side of the valve 23 in a position in which it is adapted to be contacted by the forward edge of the metallic seat member I9, that member being cut upon an angle at its encl, as seen in Figure 2, to prevent any possible overlapping of the eye of the chamber.Y With the forward edge of the seat member in contact with the valve, the valve is urgedinto sealing relationship with the opposite wall of the air passageway and with the seat Il' being locked in place the valve is also seated. Upon the withdrawal of the dusting tool unit, an operation which requires only the manual release of the spring-pressed detent 2| and the outward displacement of the seat member,

the valve is again forced to its original position, shown in Figure 5, by the coil spring 24.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, a second preferred .embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In lthis embodiment the general construction of the suction cleaner is as described in the first embodiment.- The differences which exist are found in the conversion mechanism. According to the present embodiment a housing 30 is provided in the air passageway 5, and at the eye of the fan chamber, which extends downwardly from the top wall'of that passageway, as formed by the underside of the fan chamber, to the bottom wall of the passageway and encloses the lower end of. the driving shaft l where it connects with the power-transmitting belt Il. Housing 30 opens interiorly to the air passageway forward ofthe eye of the fan' chamber and permits of the unhindered entrance of the belt Il to the motor shaft which extends downwardly through an opening inthe top thereof. The top of the housing, except at its forwardedge, is spaced below the plane of the fan chamber eye so that air which has passed the forward end of the housing can pass thereover and into the chamber. A minimum of restriction to the eye results from this ,construc-l tion.

As in the previous embodiment a conduit 20 motor axis and is normally spring-pressed into l conduit-closing position by a spiral coil spring 32. A contact leaf spring 33, adapted to be contacted by the inserted end of the dusting tool unit, is also provided.

According to this second embodiment'of the invention, with the cleaner in on-the-fioor cleaning 'relationship the valve is positioned in conl duit-closing relationship as shown in Figure 9, being held in that position by the coil vspring 32. The insertion of the end of the dusting tool unit, as in the previous embodiment, functions to pivot the valve to open the conduit 20 and connect it l andthe dusting tool hose unit seated therein to the eye 4 of the fan chamber. The valve pivots forwardly from the position shown in Figure 9 to that shown in Figure 6 in which position it seats upon a shoulder 34 where it is held by the contact of the metallic seat i8 of the ldusting tool unit with the leaf contact spring 33 of the valve. 'I'he valve now coo 30 to seal completely the nozzle from the eye of the fan chamber. The conduit 20 and its seated dusting tool hose unit, on the other hand, is directly connected to the eye of. the fan chamber, and in the operation of the machine cleaning air is drawn therethrough. As in the previous embodiment the reconversion of the machine to an on-the-fioor cleaning unit is simply the reverse operation.

I claim:

1. In a suctin cleaner,V a body including a nozzle, a. fan c amber and an air passageway therebetween, and a motor-driven fan in said,

chamber; a conduit opening into said passageway at the eye of said fan chamber, a valve normally closing said conduit, fixed means closing a Dart of said fan chamber eye from said nozzle, said rates with housing aisance valve being movable from its conduit-closing po- `sition to a passageway-closing position in which it cooperates with saidfixed means in closing said nozzle from said fan chamber, `said conduit being adapted to receive and seat theA end of a dusting tool unit and said valve being adapted to be contacted and moved thereby fromsaid conduit-closing position to said passageway-closing position.

2. In a'suction cleaner having 'a bodyincluding a nozzle, an air passageway extending from said nozzle, a fan chamber having an eye open-l ing into said passageway, and a motor-driven ian in said chamber, a rotating motor part extended thru said chamber into said passageway and carrying said fan in the chamber, a surface covering'agitator in said nozzle, and power transmission means extended from said agitator thru *said passageway and connected to said rotating motor part; stationary means extending to said motor part and 'obstructing a portion of said ian chamber eye, a dusting-tool-receiving conduit opening into said passageway at said eye, a

valve normallyv closing said conduitand adapted to be contacted by a dusting tool connected thereto and movable by'said contact into aposix' tion in which it extends across said eye to cooperate with said stationary means in closing said ian chamber to said nozzle.

3. lin a suction cleaner having a body including l rotating motor part between it and said nozzle and obstructing'a portion of said fan chamber eye, a dusting-tool-unit-receiving conduit open to said passageway at said eye, a pivoted valve normally closing said conduit and movable to a second position to cooperate with said closure means in sealing said nozzle from saidfan chamber, said valve being arranged so as' to be contacted by the end of a dusting tool unit when in conduit-closing position and to be plvoted thereby into its second position.

` ll. In a suction cleaner having a body including a nozzle, an air passageway extending from. said nozzle, a fan chamber having an eye opening toer unit humaan tuitsluit.`

into said passageway, and a motor-driven ian means extended. from said agitator thru said passageway and connected to said rotating motor part; a stationary housing enclosing the junction oi said powertransmission means and said rotating motor part and preventing the direct flow oi air from said nozzle to said fan chamber eye, a

`dusting-tool-unit-receiving conduit open to said passageway at said eye, a valve normally closing said conduit and movable to a second position to cooperate with said housing to completely seal said nozzle from said ian chamber, said valve being arranged so ,as to becontacted by thev end of a dusting tool unit when in conduit-closing position and to be pivoted therebyinto its second position. y

5. The construction set forth in the preceding claim characterized in that means are provided to retain said valve against accidental displacement in its conduit-closing position and to return it to said position upon' the removal oi the vdusting in said'chamber, a rotating motor part extended thru said chamber' into said passageway and car' `rying said ian in the chamber, a surface covering agitator in said nozzle, and power transmission ,c

(i. lin a suction cleaner having a body inclucl ing a nozzle, an air passageway extendingv irom said nozzle, a ian chamber having an ,eye opening into said passageway, and a motor-driven ian in said chamber, a rotating motor part extended through said chamber into said passageway and carrying said ian in the chamber, a surface covering agitator in said nozzle, and power transmission means extended rrom said agitator through said passageway and connected to said rotating motor part; a dusting-tool-unit connection open to said passageway at Said eye, a

iJ-shaped valve pivoted at one side of said connection and normally extending thereacross to seal said connection from said eye, said valve being movable to a second position in which it extends across the eye of said fan chamber and partially surrounds said rotating motor part, and means cooperating with said valve to surround completely said part and to seal said eye from said nozzle.

'lil

.7. The construction recited in the preceding claim in which said cooperating means 'are stationary and said valve is adapted to be moved to its second position by the connection oi a dusting tool unit to said connection. 

